Will Senator Santiago Go To Hell?
I’m neither a fan of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago nor in total favor of her sudden outbursts during CJ Corona’s impeachment trial but when one of her critics, Catholic priest Catalino Arevallo, indirectly suggested that the feisty senator is “worthy of the fires of hell”, I was suddenly taken aback. Although we know that religious groups, Catholic priests included, have played a crucial role in Philippine politics over the years, castigating a public official as if you’re a God-like human being who has the right to predict where a person’s soul will go after death is downright outrageous. I’m not saying I’m perfect but as far as religious principles are concerned, it’s safe to say that Arevallo’s public opinion went overboard.
This is actually not the first time that the politics of religion has made its way towards the public arena. We hear Catholic priests giving their opinions about social issues and policies like the RH bill every now and then. There’s nothing wrong about it as long as they are just there to serve as a spiritual guide and mentor for our politicians who will otherwise get their moral principles corrupted without the light from religious leaders. However, there are some instances like what happened between Senator Santiago and Catholic priest Arevallo when the fine line between State and Church becomes obscure. It is one thing to give your opinions regarding the rampant corruption that continues to paralyze our country but constantly meddling in serious political affairs and even hurling judgments towards a distinguished senator is another.
Now, if saying the forbidden words such as G*G* is enough to bring someone’s soul in hell, then Senator Santiago might be a perfect candidate to be thrown in the lake of fire. But the thing is, we are only mortals who interpret the Bible’s message according to existing knowledge so who are we to proclaim that an actual “geographical hell” and not any “metaphor” (in reference to Santiago’s statements) of a certain distance from God actually exists, or, worse, to tell the public with such bravado that a person is worthy of the fires of hell?
Will Senator Santiago go to hell? We’ll never know. But if we’re going to talk about a figurative hell, I guess every one of us is actually living in a hell. There’s corruption, extreme poverty, unemployment, unprecedented crimes and abuse of human rights and the list goes on and on. Religion is such a sacred entity that is worthy of our attention but sometimes, religious people, no matter how holy they are, commits mistakes and harsh judgments towards other people. That is because they are only humans who are vulnerable and are also entitled to their own opinions. But this is Philippine politics! And if issues about sexual abuse or pedophilia within the Church are not enough to make these priests busy, let’s just hope that they will only serve as moral guides for Filipino people and not as goody two shoes who love playing the role of God.
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Luisito Batongbakal has written 52 articles on this blog.
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Tags: Catalino Arevallo, filipino, Filipino people, hell, issues, Philippine, Philippine Government, Philippines, Political corruption, Politics, religion, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
6 Responses to Will Senator Santiago Go To Hell?
sila naman ni lucy fer ang magtotoos. dapat sa medyo mainit init na lugar…. like heller.. anyway she make sense and at times senseless too/
just like senator santiago, a priest is just human too, they are not exempt from sin. makinig tayo sa utos ng diyos. we have been given the power to recognize right from wrong, so pls dont patronize these men in robes, they are men too. gusto din nila ng luxury suv
anonymouse on March 5, 2012 at 10:59 pm
just like senator santiago, a priest is just human too, they are not exempt from sin. makinig tayo sa utos ng diyos. we have been given the power to recognize right from wrong, so pls dont patronize these men in robes, they are men too. gusto din nila ng luxury suv
Being human is not excuse. the term man of cloth is higher calling.
They post as Man of God as title implies they full accountability in this position representing high power but lately is more that is not who is right rather what is right.Its poor view on your part that they want luxury rather helping the poor that attitude leave our poor country way it is.
walang karapatan ang sinuman ang mag sabi sa isang tao kung san pupunta ang kaluluwa niya after death.. walang karapatan ang pare na mag sabi kung san pupunta ang kaluluwa ni sen meriam.. kahit ang pare o madre hindi sila malinis.. sa ginawa nga ni father arevalo nagkasala na sya.. ang simbahan sana ay gabay lang sa mga tao in moral aspects. but wala silang karapatan na pang hawakan ang tao.. nakaka disappoint ang mga pare.. anyway the important is we believe GOD not to the priest..
Sen. Santiago should not used her intelligent admonishing people, her popular, ‘ngayon na! ngayon na! ngayon na! in her failed people power 3 throw thousands of the poor to the gates of Malacanang Palace falling death and in anarchy destroying cars, police station, and establishment. She was even prouder to say, ‘I lied, ha ha ha!’ when she said she will jump down the helicopter, now she said, ‘mga gago kayo’ to all the prosecutors after quitting in three articles of impeachment, didn’t. she know one was enough, to save time and money?
Ito lang ang masasabi ko….Bakit ba hindi tutunan ng pansin ng Filipino Catholic priests ang issue na ito….ang dami diyan na dapat mag-disrobe…dito sa Pilipinas, ang daming may mga anak sa labas, mga TNT!!! Ginagamit ang pulpit para mag- attack ng kalaban ng kanilang kinakampihan….SUMALOSEP!!!!….www.skeptically.org/onreligion/id10.html
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